5:52 AM,
Jul. 28, 2013

Verna Wyatt

Written by

Verna Wyatt

As a crime victim advocate, I've seen firsthand how important wise judges are. A good judge is a treasure - a bad judge is a nightmare.

Tennessee's constitution states all judges shall be elected by the voters. However, in the 1970s, the legislature provided a method whereby a judicial nominating commission (JNC) could assist the governor in selecting the best candidate for appellate vacancies (including the Supreme Court) and interim vacancies on trial courts due to retirement or death. After Tennessee's JNC was revamped, I applied for and was appointed as one of the non-lawyers on the ...